Safety lock for liquid dispensing apparatus



Aug. 4, 1931. GUSMUS 1,817,409

SAFETY LOOK FOR LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1930 Ze0 Gusmas A iiorney .Aug. 4, 1931. L. GUSMUS 1,817,409

SAFETY LOOK FOR LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 8, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor L60 Gusmus A fforney A. F vNA. l ,AMXQ MN/N 4% 4 uf Aug. 4, 1931. GUSMUS 1,817,409

' SAFETY LOCK FOR LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 'Filed Aug. 8 19:50 3 sheets-sheet 5 N wmwy/ Inventor I Allomey Patented Aug. 4, 1931 LEO GUSMUS, OF SHEFFIELD, ALABAMA PATENT OFFICE SAFETY LOCK non LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS 7 Application filed August 8, 1930. Serial No. 473,959.

This invention relates generally to liquid dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to pumps for use at supply or filling stations, which are common along highways and in garages or the like, for dispensing gasoline, oil and other liquid, but it is understood, of course, that a safety lock in accordance with this invention, may be operatively connected with any type of pump or T9 dispensing apparatus, for which same is found adapted and desirable.

The present invention further relates to a safety lock for use on liquid dispensing apparatusof the general type disclosed in 15 U. S'. Patent #1,699,097, issued on J anuary 15, 1929, and U. S. Patent #1,736,t89, issued on November 19, 1929, to J. C. Cravey and Paul R- Pierson (co-inventors) and upon which devices the present invention constitutes'an improvement.

One of the important objects of this in vention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a safety latch for liquid dispensing apparatus of the aforementioned 25 character, which includes a valve controlled concealedvent pipe, which communicates, at one end, with the delivery pipe extending between a pump and a supply tank which is usually buried in the ground, a valve for controlling the concealed vent pipe being'disposed in a building where unauthorized access ordinarily could not be had thereto, the invention still further providing means whereby unauthorized operation of the vent pipe control will be prevented, even should access be had to the interior of the building in which the valve is located. Other objects of the invention are to pro- *0 apparatus of the character described, which will be simple in construction, strong, durable, efficient in its use, and whichmay be manufactured and installed at low lcost.

All of theforegoing and stillfurther objects and advantages of the'invention may become apparent froma study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying vdrawin s, wherein like characters of reference designate corvide a safety latch for liquid dispensing responding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view principally in vertical section, and partly in elevation, of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view, in elevation showing the front of the locked casing which encloses the vent pipe control valve illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure3 is a horizontal sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1. V

Figure 4 is a view'principally in vertical section and partly in elevation, showing another embo'diment of the invention.

Figure 5 is a view principally in vertical section and partly in elevation, of another form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and to Figures 7 1 to 3 thereof in particular, it, will be seen that the reference numeral designates generally a pump of conventional construction, from which'a pipe extends -to the un-. derground storage tank 3. As is usual,

the pump 1 draws the liquid from the tank 1 8, through the pipe 2, and elevates said liquid to the measuring container through the upstanding pipe 5.

The liquid is transferred from the measuring containert, to the fuel tanks of a' vehicle or other container, through the delivery hose 6, having the usual nozzle 7 on its free end. It is understood, of course, that any desired type of pump may be connected with the suction pipe 2 for drawing the liquid from the supply tank 3. It

is further understood that the dispensing apparatus need not include the measuring container 4:.

A vent pipe 8 is connected :to the suction pipe 2 between the supply tank 3 and the pump 1, through the medium of a T- coupling 9. The vent pipe 8 extends underground to a point beneath the inner and outer sides 10 and 11 respectively of a building wall designated generally by, the.

reference numeral 12, which supports "the roof 13, in spaced relation on the rafters 14. The reference numeral 15 designates the eave portion of the roof. A stand pipe 16 is connected to the pipe 8, by the elbow 17, and extends upwardly between the spaced inner and outer sides and 11 of the build ing wall 12 and terminates adjacent the roof 13 between the rafters l4 and above the wall 12, clearly seen in Figure 1. of the drawings.

A pipe 16'passe'sthrough a metallic casing, 18, which is rigidly mounted in the wall 12 and extends through the inner side 10 oi": said wall 12. disposed in the pipe 16 within the casing 18 for manually opening and closing said pipe 16. The side ofthe casing which is disposed within the building has mounted thereon a hinged door .26, through which access may be had by an'authorized person tothe' valve 19. The door is provided with a suitable lock for preventing unauthorized persons from operating the valve 19, as will be apparent;

Thus, when it is desired to'preve'nt'the ump 1, even though operated, from drawiug liq uid from the supplytank 3, through the suction tank 2, the valve19' is opened, and air will be sucked intothe' pumps through the vent pipes. After the valve l9is opened, it is 'understooch'of course, that the door 20 is closed and'locked to prevent unauthorized persons" from closing the valve 19 to permit the pump lto function when operated;

The embodiment of the invention illus trated' in" Figure 4 of the drawingsincliides the conventional pump designated general ly at 2 1, and which; when operated, draws liquid from the under ground supply tank 22, throughthe suc'tio'irpipe 23,- and ele vatesthe liquid to the' m'eas'uring container through 'the pipe 25. The liquid is discharged from the measuring container 24 through the delivery hose'26'having the nozzle 27 on its free end. The ump 21 may be of any desired and the measuring container 24', need not be included in the apparatus, and it is further understood that thesupply tan'k'22inay be located at any desired point. A vent pipe 28 is connected to the suction )ipe 3, between the pump and the supp y tank 22, through the mediuni of the T-coupling 29', and said Vent pine terminates in an upstanding section 30,

which is connected thereto by the elbow 31'. The section of the vent pipe extendsupwardly adjacent the inner sideof a wall 32 of a building to the interior of which building only authorized persons may' have a cc'e's's. The section 30" of the" vent pipe issecured to the wall 32, by anysuitable means, such the strap 33. A' con'trol val-ve' is ed for manual actuation on the upper end or the upstanding sections 30 of the vent pipe 38. When the valve 34 is in opened position, the pump 21 will be prevented from drawing the liquid from the tank 22 A control valve 19 "is through the suction pipe 23, and said suction pipe will be opened to atmosphere through the vent pipe and the control valve 34.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, the pump which is desi nated generally by the reference numeral 35 is of conventional construction and draws the liquid to be dispensed from the underground storage tank 36 through the suction pipe 37 and discharges said liquid into the measuring container 38.

The'liquidis transferred from the measuring container 38 through the discharge hose'39, having the nozzle4O on its free end.

A vent pipe 41 is connected with the suction pipe 37 betweenthe pump 35 and the supply tank 36 by the T-cou'pling'42, and extends from said T-coupling to a point beneath the floor 43 of'a building, which may belocatedadjacentthe pump 35 and one of the walls of which is designated by the reference numeral 44. The vent pipe 41, is, of co'urs e, ccncealed in the ground. The vent'pipe 41 passes the lower end'of apipe section 45, which is opened at its upper'and lower ends,andextends through the floor 43 of the building and into the ground below said floor. A manually operable valve 46 is interposed in the vent pipe 41,4mmediately below the pipe section and extends upwardly into said pipe section 45. The'vent pipe'41 has communication with an intermediate portion of the pipe section 45, through the medium of the sections 47 and the'elbows 48; A wrench or othersuitable tool 49 is insertable into the'pipesection 45 for engagement with the control valve 46, for manually operating-said control valve.

It will thusb'e seen that the vent pipe controlvalve 46 is effectively concealed from the view o'f'unauthorized persons, andeven though said unauthorized persons should discover the location of the valve after gaini'ng access to the building in which same is located, it is necessary that a suitable tool be used for operating the valve. When the valve 46 is in opened position, the pump 35 will, when operated, instead of drawing the liquid from the tank 36, draw air downwardly through the pipe section 45 and through the vent pipe into the suction pipe 37, thus preventing unauthorized removal of the liquid from the storage tank.

It is believed that the many advantages of a safety latch for liquid dispensing apparatus, in accordance with this invention will be readily understood, and although the preferi ed embodiment ofthe invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construc'ti o'n' may be had, which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is In'a liquid dispensing apparatus of the character described including a" pump, an underground liquid supply tank, a'nd'asue"- tion pipe extending between the pump and the tank, a vent pipe concealed in the ground and connected with the suction pipe intermediate the pump and the tank for admitting air to said suction pipe, said vent pipe extending from a point on the suction pipe 

